Running
by poeticgrace
Summary: Annie takes on a new obsession in an attempt to get over Jeff. ONE SHOT.


Annie Edison was a crier. It wasn't something that she was particularly proud or ashamed of, more just accepted because it was fact. A Hallmark commercial, a sappy love ballad on the radio, one of those old romance films from the 40s – they were all guaranteed to deliver a fresh batch of tears at the drop of the hat. She had shed a lot of tears over a lot of things, including the past year when her nights had ended with a tear-soaked pillow all because of the likes of Jeff Winger. Things had never been quite right since "The Kiss," or maybe even before if she was honest with herself. It was a lot to deal with, having these emotions all bottled up inside, and that's why she decided to take up running.

Like anything Annie did, she wasn't about to become a running fanatic halfway. She spent half of her savings arming herself with all the necessary tools to make her the best running to hit Greendale for years. She bought a new pair of shoes and matching clothes, made a new playlist for her iPod, organized a training schedule, looked up stretching techniques online and consulted with her doctor as advised before starting a new fitness routine. She did everything but deal with why she was doing all of this in the first place because that would have been hard, and for once, Annie just wanted to take the easy way out. She wanted to run (literally) away from her problems, even if it was only for a little while.

Annie starts out slow, running a mile or two a day so that her body can adjust to her new way of life. She keeps the change to herself for awhile, quietly sneaking off to the school track after study group to put in a few laps before heading home for the night. They don't notice when she starts showing up slightly sweaty to class or the blisters that have taken up permanent residence on both her big toes. No one notices anything diferent at all, which surprises Annie considering how different she feels. Well, _almost_ no one notices when Annie really starts to change.

Jeff had always found Annie to be a little bit shy, which was surprising considering how outspoken she was when it came to class or the group. However, Annie had led a mostly sheltered life and hadn't experienced a lot of things until she went to rehab and eventually college. He had been given the unique privledge of seeing a lot of changes in Annie over the past two years, watching her grow up and become a whole woman instead of a pieced-together girl. That's why it's not surprising when he is the one to notice when she starts to slip away earlier and earlier from their study sessions.

He first follows her to the track on a Thursday afternoon. She left the library with some contrived excuse about extra credit in her lit class, but Jeff noticed her already pulling her hair back into a ponytail as she exited the study room. He made up some lie that no one really heard anyway and jetted out after her. Annie didn't even glance over her shoulder as she ducked into the girls' room to change clothes quickly. Jeff waited just down the hall, pretending to talk on his cell phone while keeping his eyes focused on the door. When she came out, she had replaced her prim plaid skirt and cardigan set with form-fitting training clothes. Annie looked...sexy.

Staying far enough behind her not to get caught but close enough that he never lost her, Jeff followed Annie down to the track and took a seat in the bleachers on the far side of the field. Annie jogged a couple laps as a warmup before taking off into a full sprint. For the next half-hour, Jeff watched her lithe form as she made her way around the track. Four miles later, she walked a lap as a cooldown and then toweled off while talking to a few other people scattered around the bleachers where she'd set up camp.

Jeff watched Annie like that for two weeks. She managed to improve both her time and distance considerably during that time. He also might have driven by her apartment a couple of times to see if she was home, only to find her out running on some street near her building. She was always too focused to notice him. The same drive that had caused Annie to set her sights on him now had her completely wrapped up in a sport that made her too busy to see that his sights were exlcusively on her. It's then that Jeff realizes that he doesn't like sharing that attention with anyone or anything and that maybe he was jealous.

It's this thought that convinces him to approach her the next Monday afternoon when she headed out to the track for her daily run. Annie is surprised and slightly shaken when Jeff catches her by the wrist as she exited the girls' bathroom. "What the hell?" she whispered harshly, clutching her chest. "You scared the hell out of me. What are you doing here?"

"You tell me, Edison," he said, nodding toward the set of double doors that led out to the track. "What's up with the running? What are you running from?"

Annie shook her head bitterly. "Did you ever think that maybe that I just like running, Jeff? Not everything has some big meaning. I mean, that is what you told me after we kissed, right?" she asked rhetorically. "Besides, maybe I am actually running _toward_ something."

Jeff wasn't buying it for one minute but decided not to pursue that line of questioning. Instead, he wanted to appeal to the Florence Nightengale in Annie. "Well, maybe we can run together or something. I have wanted to train for a marathon for awhile. It might be a little less boring if we do it together. You're really good at keeping me motivated."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Jeff, but thank you for the offer," she said dismissively. She had waited patiently for a long time for Jeff to notice, really notice, her, but she wasn't going to let him take this away from her. Running was something that was still just hers. It didn't remind her of anyone or anything. "If you'll excuse me, I'm gonna head out. I will talk to you tomorrow."

Jeff watched Annie walk away with a little wave, giving her enough time to get out there before he followed her out. She looked so beautiful, absolutely stunning, as she sprinted around the black cement oval. She was focused, running harder than he had ever seen her ran. She had run after him not that long ago. Now, she was running on her own. Maybe it was time for Jeff to run after her.

He followed her out to the track again the next day, only this time he was already dressed to the nines in his new running clothes. Annie noticed him but didn't say anything. She just focused on her workout and trying to stay as far ahead of Jeff as possible. She was successful in outrunning him at every turn, pushing through a wall she didn't even know she had when he nearly caught her toward the end of her final mile. Without even looking back, she left Greendale that day knowing that they would both be back.

It went on like that, with the chase and pursuit, for a good week before Jeff finally caught up with her. He kept a steady pace with her, matching her gait and stride step for step. He wanted to say something, get her to acknowledge his presence, but Annie didn't so much as look sideways at him. She only refocused her breath and adjusted her iPod. He could hear Natasha Bedingfield blasting from her headphones. Annie's other senses didn't give any indication that she cared he was there. In fact, he was starting to think that she really didn't care that he was.

It's only when she finally starts to walk her cool down lap and removes her earbuds that Annie says anything in his direction. "You're getting faster," she commented as she crossed her arms over chest to stretch. "You could use a little work on your form. You should try looking up some hints online. It helped me."

"Or you could show me..."

"I'll send you the link," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Annie, we need to talk."

"No, Jeff, we do not," she countered. "What I need to do is go home and shower."

"Annie, please," he pleaded. "Just ten minutes."

"I'll see you tomorrow," she dismissed him. "I'll be out here around one."

Jeff saw it for what it was, an invitation to join her. It was Annie's small way of letting him in. She wasn't going to make this easy on him. So, he showed up the next day and kept pace with her for six grueling miles. "Annie, we need to talk," he tried again, somewhere around the midway point.

"No, we need to run," she retorted before picking up her run to that same full-out sprint he saw on her first day of running. "C'mon, Winger, keep up." He tried to get her to talk again when they were finished with their last lap, but Annie still wasn't having it. "All we do is talk, Jeff, I'm finally tired of all the words. I don't have the right thing to say to make things okay. I might have them for you some day, but that day isn't today."

It's then that he sees that there isn't exasperation in her eyes this time but sadness. "Oh, Little Shy Annie," he said affectionately as he slid one arm around her waist and the other hand reached up to brush sweaty tendrils of dark hair from her forehead. "I don't think I've told you this yet, but I like you like this. All fresh and with your defenses down. I like how you're this juxtaposition of vulnerability and strength."

"I don't cry anymore."

"What a waste of those Disney eyes, huh?"

She allowed herself to lean against him just a little. "Jeff, I won't be something you deny again."

He nodded knowingly before planting a gentle kiss to the crown of her sweaty head. "I know. We'll get it together...I'll get it together," he promised her. "You just have to promise me you won't stop running."

Annie knew what he meant. "Never."

"Just run toward me this time, okay? I mean, I'll come after you until my legs fall off if I have to, but I really hated the distance."

"How about we run together," she suggested instead. "If I fall behind, you'll pick me back up. If you start to lag, I'll be there to push you ahead."

With that promise, Jeff kissed Annie in all their sweaty glory in the middle of the track. He didn't care that there were people watching who probably thought he was creepy or that this could all end up very bad. He just cared that he finally had someone who was going to help him stay the course, to make sure he didn't get lost in this crazy world. He had his anchor and felt abundantly proud to be hers. And even as tears fell down from Annie's big beautiful eyes and he started to kiss them away, he knew that this was their beginning and that he would always have her beside him in this marathon known as life.


End file.
